Why join Team Bradford at Bradford Council?

If you care about making a difference and believe in the work you do (or the work you want to do), then we want to hear from you. Our workforce changes lives, so whatever the job might be, if you want to do it to the best of your ability and are passionate about the district then we want you in Team Bradford.

Take a look at our current vacancies to see if anything is suitable for you.

Bradford Council is a great place to work and below are just a few of the reasons why!

#LoveMyJob

As the leading employer in the district, we care about creating a great place to work. We want every employee to be able to say they love their job, whatever that might be.

We provide support to help that happen, from recently improved performance management systems, to a wide range of training and development opportunities.

The colleagues around you can make or break how you feel about work. Having positive workmates, with a can-do attitude, who want to help and who care about getting things right, can make a massive difference. Our Bradford Behaviours provide guidance about what is expected of all employees, to help make Bradford Council a great place to work for everyone.

#LoveBradford

We think it’s important that our colleagues care about the Bradford District and feel proud of the great place we work in and serve.

Our #LoveBradford world record breaking achievement in September 2016 symbolised a wave of fantastic events and activities over the last couple of years. From fundraising Dragon Boat races to world class sporting events, via the Bradford Literature Festival, Bradford Festival and the much-loved family learning festival, ourselves and our partners across the district work hard to bring people together all year round.

Council colleagues are encouraged to support our district’s wide range of festivals and events, whether through work projects, volunteering opportunities or simply coming down and enjoying the fun on the day. It’s all part of feeling good about where you work and can also be a great way of getting to know colleagues, the Council and the district better.

What we are here to do

We strive to keep all our colleagues up to date about what the Council is here to do, what we need to prioritise and how we should be working.

Our Council Plan sets out our commitment to achieve our priorities for the district. These are:

Better skills, more good jobs and a growing economy
Decent homes that people can afford to live in
A great start and good schools for all our children
Better health, better lives
Safe, clean and active communities
A well-run council, using all our resources to deliver our priorities

The Council Plan also sets out the principles of how we work. These help make sure we are working consistently. We are therefore committed to:

Working together
People in charge of their own lives
Equality
Every pound counts

The Council has four Bradford Behaviours which represent how we perform at work and our expectations of each other. Having the right behaviours helps us raise our standards and makes the Council a better place to work for everyone. Our four behaviours are:

Positive - Being enthusiastic about the district and displaying a ‘can do’ attitude to our work and the services we support.
Engaging - Working with colleagues and stakeholders in a supportive and collaborative way, while listening to and valuing others’ views.
Responsible - Demonstrating clear understanding of roles and responsibilities and being able to link goals and objectives to the Council’s priorities.
Flexible - Responding quickly and effectively to change while embracing and supporting new ways of working.

Team Bradford is a great team, so if you like what you have read then come and join us!

Family friendly working

Flexible working

All our staff can request ﬂexible working such as a change of hours or working pattern. Many jobs allow you to mix attending a workplace and working at home.

Flexi time

Many jobs in the Council have flexible working hours meaning that you can be more flexible about when you start and finish as well as building up credit hours that can be taken when needed.

Leave

Various types of leave are available to staff depending on the circumstances including Maternity Leave, Paternity Leave, Shared Parental Leave, Adoption Leave and Fostering Leave. We also offer a generous amount of annual leave which can increase after 5 years service.

Paid time off

As part of our commitment to your health and wellbeing we also offer colleagues paid time off for a number of activities including:

Antenatal appointments for pregnant employees
Exam or study Leave on courses sponsored by the Council
Trade Union Representatives, JPs, Military reservists, Council Members, Public body and Youth offending panel members are all entitled to paid time off work to attend to these duties
Medical screenings such as cervical smears, mammograms or prostate checks that can’t easily be booked outside of working hours
Election duties leave. Employees who work on elections get a paid day off and they are also paid for the hours they work on election.

Time off for dependents

Employees have the right to take reasonable time off work to deal with an emergency involving a dependent. This leave is unpaid. There is no set limit to how much time can be taken off. In most cases, it should be no longer than a day or two, followed if necessary by other contractual leave entitlements (such as annual leave or bereavement leave), but this will depend on individual circumstances.

Annual travel card

We have negotiated discounted prices for our employees on a number of travel cards including Northern Rail season tickets, Annual MCard, FirstYear and KCard EXTRA.

Car parking

We offer staff parking at discounted rates at a number of car parks.

Cycle to work

We run a Cycle to Work Scheme that allows our employees to get big savings on loaning bikes and equipment using salary sacrifice.

Employee benefits

Through our benefits platform, our colleagues can access a range of benefits that help colleagues to save money on everyday spending, from online shopping, days out at theme parks and eating out, through to organising your personal finances and insurance.

Employee wellbeing

Our employees' health and wellbeing is at the heart of our employee offer. Our Employee Health and Wellbeing Service offers a full range of services to keep you healthy and well including health MOTs.

As well as this we also have:

Eye Care: Support for colleagues by facilitating eye test’s and supporting colleagues if they require glasses for VDU use.
Employee Assistance Programme: Support for colleagues on both work related or personal topics, over the phone or via an online portal, 24 hours a day and 365 days a year.

Home and electronics

Our colleagues can access the latest in computing, mobiles, home cinema, garden, DIY, furnishings, toys, domestic appliances and much more including energy savings electronics, and pay for these over a period of 24 months with the payments taken directly from salary. There are no credit checks and the scheme can be easily accessed through our benefits platform.

Free will service

Bradford Council employees have an opportunity to have a professional will written free of charge.

Employee career pathways and opportunities for development

We give our colleagues the opportunities to help develop their career in a variety of career pathways, knowledge and skills. Through the use of our web based learning system, coaching and mentoring, CPD and skills training, the apprenticeship levy as well as Regular performance appraisals, colleagues are given the tools and support to become the best.

Learning and development

We offer excellent learning and development opportunities including Leadership and Management Development, a Coaching Academy, an Innovation Hub and a Future Leaders talent management programme. This is all part of our Learning Management System called Evolve.

RESPECT campaign

The RESPECT campaign is the internal Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) vision for the workforce. Part of this is the RESPECT Allyship Programme, which is open for all staff to join, and includes monthly EDI topic-based sessions and follows the Council’s key priority of ‘Equalities is at the heart of what we do’.

Staff networks

Our staff networks are an important element of our approach to improving Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion by building a community of support for colleagues to amplify their voices, which leads to ensuring equal access to opportunities and resources for all our people. Ensuring great Equality, Diversity and inclusion are essential in creating a culture in which our staff can achieve their full potential, without being subject to bias, prejudice or discrimination.

Feeling included promotes happy nourishing emotions, gives us energy and a sense of being part of something together. Our staff networks include:

Carers
Disability
LGBTQ+
Race Equality
Women’s networks: BME Women and Women’s Voice
Young People’s

Pension scheme

We offer an excellent pension through the West Yorkshire Pension Fund, which as a Bradford Council employee you will be enrolled in if you have a contract of more than three months. The pension scheme offers members a guaranteed future income following retirement as well as immediate benefits if you leave to due to ill health (subject to medical assessment). The scheme has many advantages including: flexible retirement between the ages of 55 to 75 as well as a death in service equal to 3 times your salary in a tax-free lump sum.

AVC Wise

A unique benefit for local government pension scheme members in which additional voluntary contributions can be made into a separate pot alongside your LGPS main pension scheme whilst saving on their Tax and National insurance contributions.

Service Excellence Awards

Employees make the biggest contribution to the delivery of services across the Council. The aim of our Service Excellence Awards is to celebrate our employees' successes.

Loyalty awards

We recognise loyalty, dedication and hard work and celebrate the contribution made by those who have completed 25 years of service.

ClubActive

Council Staff are eligible for corporate membership of Clubactive which allows unlimited access to the Council’s gyms and swimming pools for a monthly payment of £20.

Visitor Information Centre

On showing your council ID pass, you will receive a 25% discount at the Visitor Information Centre when purchasing gifts.

Bradford Credit Union

An ethical savings and loans company run by members who live or work within the Bradford District. They are a friendly alternative to high street banks, doorstep loan sharks and other costly moneylenders. If you join the Credit Union your deductions can be made via payroll.